Spool-case



(No Model.)

O. S. BBTTS.

sPooL CASE.

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Hummm:

2QPatented Slp. 4, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEO ORRIN S. BETTS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPOOL-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,813, dated September 4, 1888.

Application tiled April 23, 1R88.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ORRIN S. Bmrs,of Ghicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spool-Cases, of which the followingis a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan view of a spool-case embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the same upon the line x x,Fig. l, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown. Fig. 3 is a sectional view in detail, Vtaken upon the line 1/ y, Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown. Fig. 4 is a sectional view in detail of a portion of the ease,showing the outer end of one ofthe spoot holding tubes. Fig. 5 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view in detail of a portion of one of the spool-holding tubes taken upon the line zz, Fig. 3, showing the manner ot' attaching the crossslats. Fig. t3 is a vertical sectional view through two of said tubes in the plane of said cross-slats, showing a modified construction; and Fig. 7 is a detail of a portion of the ease, partly in section, showing the outline or delivery end of one of said tubes,in which the construction is somewhat modified.

Like letters of reference in the different tig urcs represent corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to so construct aspool-case as to enable large and small spools of a given color or shade to be kept in independent compartments, so that they lnay be readily compared with each other, and at the same time to so hold the small or short spools that while they may be easily examined they cannot be misplaced by customers desiring to look at them nor become disarranged in the handling of the case. A further object is to so construct said case that it maybe light, strong,and cheaply lnade, while it will gather and retain but little dust to soil the spools.

To this end my invention consists in the combination of elements and special features of construction hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a drawer or case of the usual eonstruetion,hav ing a glass front,l,to permit the samples to be Serial No 271,5.9. (Nonioilel.)

seen which indicate the shades in the ditferent drawers, said samples, as c, Fig. l, being arranged in a trough, O, parallel with the front and sepaatcd from the main sp wol-case by means of a partition, I).

Arranged parallel with each other and lengthwise ofthe case are a series oftubes, E, the ends of which are rigidly secured in bearings in the partition and the rear end, A, of the drawer', as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Said tubes are separated from each other a distance of about the length of an ordinary spool, as shown in Fig. I, and are constructed, preferably, ofjapanned tin or other-sheet metal, and have an inner diametersuliicient to permit the ready insertion of a spool. They are also open at the top throughout their entire length; but the slots, as clearly shown, are narrower in width than the diameter of the tube for a distance from the rear preferably to a point near to the forward end of the tube, from whence they are eut away, as shown at F, to the full diameter thereof for the purpose of inserting and removing the spools. In order to permit the spools to be readily grasped between thethumb and finger. I provide notches D in the partition l), which notches extend only partially toward the bottom, as more clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thus leaving a ledge to prevent the spools from sliding out ofthe tubes should the drawer be forwardly inclined; but while I prefer to construct said tubes and notches in the way described, it is obvious that said construction may be modified by cutting the notches D deep enough to conform to the interior of the tubes, as shown in Fig. 7, in which ease said tubes need not be cut away at F, as above described. This construction permits the spools to be directly inserted and withdrawn from the front end of the tube instead of being lifted out, as they otherwise would be.

The making of the slotted tubes as described, with the slots or openings in the top narrower than their respective diameters, as distinguished from the usual grooved trough, is of paramount importance, and constitutes the leading feature of novelty of my invention. The very narrow spools f are constantly liable to fall down and become displaced and disarranged in handling the drawer when mere ICO grooves are employed, unless the case is full, and then a jar will disarrange them. Moreover, customers in matching shades are very liable to take out the small spools and replace them in the wrong trough, thus requiring much time upon the part of clerks to rearrange and sort them to conform to the shades of the large spools, which should be adjacent thereto; but in my improved tubes, while the shades may be inspected equally well, they cannot be misplaced by being shaken, nor are meddlesome customers likely to confuse them, for the reason that they cannot be lifted from the tube promiscuously, but must be withdrawn from the ends.

Beneath the tubes E, and at right angles to the axes thereof, are secured a series of crossbars, G, which are arranged parallel with each other and a sufficient distance apart to serve as supports for the usual large spools, g, each row of which is intended, as stated, to correspond in shade with that of the small spools in one of the adjacent tubes, so that after deciding upon a given shade in a large spool its complement in the smaller size may be found at once and without search. Said crossbars may consist of round rods of metal or wood rigidly secured to said tubes in any well-known way; but I prefer to make them of grooved sheetmetal strips, semieircular in cross-section, as shown, in order to insure lightness and strength as well as a proper bearing surface for the spools, and in order to attach them readily and at a minimum cost I by preference form a depending flange, e, upon the bottom of each tube throughout its length. This may readily be accomplished in the bending or forming of the tube, so as to make the metal of a double thickness. rIhis not only renders the tube stronger, but the fastening is also firmer and more secure. In the flanges e are formed a series of semicircular perforations, e', through which the bars G are inserted, having their convex sides uppermost. In lieu ofinserting said bars in the perforations, as described, it is obvious that they may be soldered to the rounded bottom of the tube, as shown at e2, Fig. 6; but I regard this as a more costly and inferior construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A spool-holding case having a series of spoolholding cylindrical tubes having longitudinal slots or openings in the top thereof of a width slightly less than the diameter of said tubes, in combination with a partition at the receiving end provided with a series ofthumbnotches therein conformable to the respective positions of said tubes, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a spoolholding ease, a series of spool` holding cylindrical tubes having longitudinal openings in the top thereof ofa Width slightly less than the diameter of said tubes, and cntaway portions at the receiving ends to the full diameter thereof, whereby a spool may be held within the tube until it reaches said cut-away portion, from whence it may be lifted from the top thereof, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a spool-case, the combination of a series of cylindrical spool-holding tubes having longitudinal slots or openings in the top thereof of a width slightly less than the diameter of said tubes, with a series of cross-bars arranged parallel to each other and at right angles to the axes of said tubes and of such a distance from each other as to support a series ofspools thereon, whereby the small spools within the tubes may be compared orcontrasted with those upon the eross-bars,substantially as shown am] described.

4. The combinatitm, in a spool-holdi ng case, of a series of tubes, E, having perforated depending flanges respectively in the plane of their axes, and a series of cross-bars inserted within said pcrforations,substantially asshown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 10th day of April, 1888.

ORRIN S. BETTS.

fitnessesz D. H. FLETCHER, J. B. HALPENNY. 

